Infectious Diseases Bill: Nigerian Youths Reveal Shocking Step To Take On Lawmakers If…

Youth Leaders under the aegis of the Coalition Against Vaccine Trial in Nigeria (CAVTIN), have dared the leadership of the National Assembly over the controversial ‘Control of Infectious Diseases Bill.’

Brandnewsday gathered that the youth leaders threatened to go on to the next level that is within legal means to ensure that the National Assembly Infectious Diseases Bill becomes a nightmare. Adding that they will kick start a recall process of all the lawmakers involved attempting to pass the controversial Infectious Diseases Bill if they persist pushing for its passage.

The group questioned the quickness of the House of Representatives over its swift plot to pass through the very contentious and troubling bill.

in a statement jointly signed by Alhaji Aliyu Buba Amshi, North East; Segun Onibiyo, Secretary, Vanguards Of Democracy North Central; Ibrahim Bunu, Middle Belt Patriotic Front; Nze Ugo-Akpe Onwuka (OYI), International Coordinator – Igbo Renaissance Forum (IRF) South-East; Sammy Brown, President, Supreme Council Of Ibibio Youths, South-South; and Eric Oluwole, Yoruba National Youth Leader; South West.

Meanwhile, the bill was sponsored by the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, and two other members: Dr Paschal Chigozie Obi, member representing Ideato North /Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State and Rep. Sununu Tanko Yusuf, member representing Yauri/Shanga/Ngaski Federal Constituency of Kebbi State.

The Coalition stated that “One begins to wonder why the lightning speed to get the bill passed without being dully scrutinized by honourable members of the House, who incidentally were not presented with copies of the Wonder BILL.”

What The Coalition Said About The Infectious Diseases Bill

The Coalition statement reads: “As if that was not enough, while the citizens were still trying to grasp the movie-like actions playing out, the same controversial Infectious Diseases Bill seeking to repeal the Quarantine Act 2004 sponsored by the House of Representatives, surfaced at the Senate on Tuesday the 5th of May, 2020, under a different title which read ‘National Health Emergency Bill, 2020.

“We wish to state without equivocation that no matter the nomenclature of the bill, we shall resist it unless Nigerians are adequately educated and sensitized about the benefits of giving such unfettered powers to the Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC), which includes forcible administering of the COVID-19 vaccine

“We, however, want to know if the vaccine trial has passed Phase 1- 3 before we jumped into offering our citizens as guinea pigs.

“Does Nigeria have the experience and capacity to run a candidate trial?

“We are not going to sound nice nor complementary in presenting our feelings about the unfortunate games that we see being played with the lives of Nigerians at this very critical time, when COVID–19 and hardship occasioned by the unplanned lockdown action has brought upon the citizens.”

According to the Coalition, “we are by this publication putting the government on notice that Nigerians would not be led to the slaughter like sheep, and citizens cannot to be used as guinea pigs for vaccine trials.”

“We shall resist any attempts by any individual, group of persons or organizations that would want to begin vaccine trials of any kind without first of all going through the right protocols and sensitizing the citizenry,” the statement stated.

The youth leaders declared that these uncommunicative gymnastics, change of document title and sleight of mouth to throw dust in the eyes of the citizens was dead on arrival.

”It is both shocking and annoying that the Nigerian government that has failed to act responsibly and decisively in checking the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic and also failed to transparently distribute palliatives to its suffering citizens would quickly sign on with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to use the same citizens as guinea pigs.

“Instead of looking for ways to better the lot of these same citizens who were caught up in an unplanned and excruciating lockdown, we are being entertained by such gross bill.

“We want to advise the National Assembly that it is in their best interest to quickly kill any bill being pushed under various aliases as that would set the country on the path of instability.

“Already, communities across the Six regions of Nigeria are in a panic owing to all the drama brought to this virus trial.

“We are asking the lawmakers to face legislation that would make it possible for citizens’ rights not to be eroded, rather than pushing for such sweeping powers for one agency of government that can obliterate the rights of the citizens!”

They demanded that the legislators immediately kill the Bill as it was not in the best interest of Nigerians.

Reading further: they declared that the lawmakers “involved in this ongoing parliamentary sleight of the hand to get this controversial bill passed. It is obvious that they are representing themselves rather than those who sent them to the National Assembly.”